Becoming Dame Déesse
by JustMakeLeftTurns
Summary: Marinette feels like the world is against her. She doesn't notice when a black butterfly finds her when she's Ladybug. It's up to Chat Noir to help her fight it. OR: That one akuma!Marinette/Ladybug fic where Chat Noir is present while Hawk Moth whispers in her ear and there's nothing he can do because he's panicking.
1. Becoming Dame Déesse

A/N: I don't speak French so if Dame Déesse is incorrect please let me know!

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug.

* * *

Marinette sat on some random roof in some random part of town. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them as she sobbed. She cursed herself for crying while in her Ladybug persona; she should be stronger, more confident. She had to stop letting Marinette to shine through while she wore the mask. But the day's events had been too much for her.

Chloe spreading lies about her, then Alya getting mad at her for something she didn't do, getting in trouble both at school and at home. It wasn't fair. Chloe was such a liar. A liar who had managed to turn her best friend, the teacher, and her parents against her. Marinette hadn't done anything wrong. She'd called Chloe out for being mean to another student, that was all. And then Chloe had ruined everything. And now Marinette had two days of detention and a week of being grounded.

It wasn't fair.

It just. It just wasn't.

So Marinette had transformed into Ladybug, hoping that patrolling around the city would get her mind off of how upset and angry she was. Instead, her problems followed her. And there she sat, on a roof, bawling her eyes out. Like a stupid child. In the back of her mind, she wondered where Chat Noir was. She needed a friend. She would take his stupid flirting if he would just show up already.

Maybe he'd seen her crying and had run off. Maybe he'd finally realized how much of a baby she was. Stupid, stupid Marinette. Ladybug doesn't cry.

Marinette didn't notice when a black butterfly appeared before her. It tried to go into her earrings, but her hair and arms just happened to be covering them. The butterfly changed directions and was absorbed into Ladybug's yoyo.

 _Hello, Dame Déesse. How unfair it is that you must hide who you are from your loved ones._

Marinette tensed, fear gripping her heart. She knew who this was. Hawk Moth. It had to be him. She was the next victim.

 _I saw what happened in class. That was unfair of them. They didn't even give you a chance to defend yourself._

She couldn't let herself listen to him. She knew what happened next. She didn't want to hurt anybody. And now he knew who she was under the mask, too. What if he made her hurt her family? Marinette choked out a sob.

 _Why do you want to protect this city when they've already turned on you? They didn't believe you as yourself. So why not make them believe you?_

The masked teen could feel her will decreasing. Logically, she knew that she didn't want anyone to be hurt. But the voice in her head was soothing. Someone was going to give her what she deserved.

 _You'll be the one to decide who's right. You know better than them. You save them on a daily basis. It's time that they listen to what you say._

"Hello, My Lady. What a purr-fect night, don't you think?" a voice said outside of Marinette's head. She barely registered it, clinging onto what Hawk Moth was saying. Somewhere deep in her mind, she knew there was a reason why she shouldn't listen to him, but she couldn't remember why.

"I know that my gorgeous looks are enough to send anyone crying, but are you feline alright?" Chat Noir, she recognized. It was Chat Noir. He could help her. But why did she want his help? She didn't need anyone.

 _You'll be judge, jury, and executioner, my dear._

"Ladybug?" Chat Noir sounded worried now. Marinette heard him kneel beside her. She felt him put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

 _You'll make sure everyone gets what they deserve._

Marinette raised her head, Hawk Moth's persuasive words giving her confidence. She stared out at the city, imagining that she was looking right at him.

Beside her, Chat Noir gasped and let out a faint, "No." He moved in front of her, blocking her view of the city. He tried to get eye contact, but Marinette looked right through him. She vaguely wondered how much of the red around her eyes could be seen, or if he just saw the light color of the moth in front of her face. She dismissed these thoughts immediately. Who cared? Certainly not her.

"My Lady," Chat Noir said urgently. He gripped her arms. "Don't listen to him. He's lying! You know he is! Fight it!"

 _All you have to do –_

"Say no! Just say no!"

– _is get me something in return._

"Anything," she answered quietly. Power was at her fingertips. Fairness would be spread.

Marinette felt herself being shaken. She didn't care. She wanted everyone to listen to her. She wanted everything to be done fairly. Everything done according to her. She knew best. The voice said so.

"Please, please listen to me," Chat Noir begged her. "Where's the akuma?" Couldn't he figure it out himself, Marinette thought briefly. Must be too panicked, she answered herself. Not that it matters, she added.

 _In return for unimaginable power –_

Chat Noir kept his grip on her as his eyes searched her for the akuma.

– _bring me yours and Chat Noir's Miraculous. After all –_

Seeing the purple of Ladybug's yoyo, Chat Noir reached for it.

– _you won't be needing it anymore._

"I'll do it," Marinette heard herself say. She maneuvered away from Chat Noir milliseconds before he could get her yoyo.

"My Lady –!"

Dame Déesse felt the darkness surround her. The last thing she saw before the akuma transformed her was Chat Noir's look of horror, despair, and resign.


	2. Meeting Dame Déesse

A/N: Okay so a lot of people wanted me to continue. Although this chapter directly follows the first, if I write anything more it will most likely be a series of snippets that don't necessarily go in chronological order. Sorry for the tense change; present tense felt right when writing this. Enjoy!

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He's helpless.

He's helpless and he wants to cry.

He's failed her. He's failed his partner, friend, crush.

He watches the darkness consume her. His thoughts are scattered. Stopped. He doesn't know what to think. He thinks too much.

He wills himself to stand, as Ladybug has already done. His heart is heavy. His staff, resting at the base of his back, suddenly feels like it's a million pounds. He knows he'll have to use it. And still he cannot move.

The darkness disappears. In its place is his Lady, but it is not her. She has not changed as much as others have. But she is not his Lady. She wears a black and purple cape with a large white collar over her plain purple-tinted red suit. The polka-dots have gone, but her yoyo rests at her side like always. Her skin has taken a pinkish-purple hue. Her hair ribbons have also changed to purple. Her earrings are the only things to stay the same.

Chat Noir blinks slowly, swallows past the knot in his throat. He doesn't understand. Ladybug – strong, kind, unbreakable Ladybug – how could this have happened? How could he have let this happen? If he had been just a few minutes earlier. If he hadn't panicked and had gone straight for the yoyo.

If only, if only.

Not-Ladybug stares at him with cold eyes, a smirk on her lips and an eyebrow quirked. As if she knows the struggle inside him to fight her, to hurt her. He has to try to talk to her first. He can't stand the thought of attacking her.

He reaches a hand out towards her. She's a couple feet out of reach. He pleads with his eyes, which shine bright with unshed tears.

"Never fear, My Lady," he tries to joke. It falls flat even to his own ears. "Your knight is here to save you from the evil akuma."

He knows it will not work.

His partner stares at him, unimpressed. "Is that all you've got? How about you try begging at my feet instead?"

He lowers his hand. Tries to see some semblance of the real Ladybug beneath the akuma. He fails.

"Why don't we talk through this instead?" he tries again. He backs away as Ladybug stalks closer.

He eyes her yoyo. She catches him looking and grabs onto it. He gulps. He knows how powerful she can be. With the power from the akuma, who knows how much more strength she possesses.

"I have no qualms with you, but my Master requires your miraculous," not-Ladybug tells him. She spins her yoyo at her side.

He snaps out of his despair and growls, "Do you hear yourself right now? This isn't you at all, Ladybug!"

He crouches, ready to move should his partner – the akuma, he corrects this time – try to strike out at him. He is not ready to fight her. He knows he has to. He'll deal with the purifying of the butterfly later. He just wants his friend back.

"Ladybug is long gone," the akuma speaks. "I am Dame Déesse. I control who lives and dies. Who is innocent and who is guilty. Who should walk free and who should burn in the depths of hell."

He continues to watch the yoyo, wonders how he is to grab it. In the meantime, he stalls. "That's an awful lot of power for one person." He slowly steps to the side. Dame Déesse eyes his movements but does not move herself.

He lunges, hopes to catch her off-guard. She dodges. He trips. Her yoyo wraps around his wrist. He's yanked back over to her. He uses his free hand to use his staff to trip her. He stands, twists around, uses the string on his wrist to his advantage. The akuma tries to get free, knocks the staff out of his hands. He wraps his arms around her. She's facing away from him. He's glad he doesn't have to look at her face. It's just any other akuma.

While he keeps the girl still, he tries to pull his hand free of the string so he can properly break the yoyo itself. He doesn't dare use cataclysm with his partner so close. She keeps the string taut, making his job even more difficult.

"Let go of me or perish!" she yells. His heart clenches. His eyebrows furrow and his jaw clenches. He must save his Ladybug.

"Don't worry, My Lady," he says tightly. "This won't hurt a bit."

He lets out a shout when an elbow meets his stomach. He loosens his grip on her. She stomps on the inside of one of his feet. He backs away ever so slightly. Dame Déesse takes her chance and reaches her arms behind her. She bends forward, uses her momentum, and lifts him over her head and onto the ground. He wheezes in pain as he lies on his back. Dame Déesse narrows her eyes at him.

"I am not your lady."

It takes him a few minutes to be able to stand.

By then, the akuma is already gone.


End file.
